Police Union

December 1, 1985

MONTREAL — Attempts have been made over the past eight years to form a Royal Canadian Mounted Police union. None has been successful. A Quebec group plans to apply to the Canada Labor Relations Board early next year for certification as a provincial bargaining unit. Cpl. Bruno Lavoie said 89 percent of the 884 non-commissioned RCMP officers voted to make the request. A vote of 50 percent plus one is needed for recognition by the labor board. Although officials of the RCMP contend that under the Public Service Staff Relations Act federal agents are forbidden to form a union, Lavoie said the hope is that the Quebec action will be a step toward setting up a union among RCMP's entire force of 14,000.